CHEESE BOX 55 –

DECEMBER 23

Welcome to our Cheese box 55 – December 23! 

WELCOME BACK CILANTRO!

Originally established by Monica Senna Salerno and Jenny Oldham in a home kitchen, Cilantro Cheese has had many iterations since 2008. With Suli Laomahei as cheesemaker and operations manager, and a small facility on the AgResearch campus, Cilantro continues to make stand-out cheeses with fresh goat milk. It’s been a little while since they’ve been able to make cheese for you, so we’re so pleased to welcome them back. More about Cilantro here.

CHEVRE LOG – FROM CILANTRO CHEESE

This is a delicious hand-made goat cheese log. Crumble it into a salad or over pasta, or just smear on some bread. Grab your favourite sparkling wine or maybe a saison, or try and find an elderflower cordial.

Region: Hamilton. Type of milk: goat.

TINUI BLUE – FROM KINGSMEADE CHEESE

This multi-award winning cheese is a star of the NZ cheese world. It’s salty and sweet. and its mould is green and blue, so it ticks a few cheese lover’s boxes. Match it with a dessert wine, a Belgian Dubbel, or an Oolong tea, and maybe pour some honey over a wedge.

Region: Wairarapa. Type of milk: cow.

HALLOUMI – FROM TAIBA CHEESE

This is a classic example of this classic style. Fried or grilled halloumi goes with pretty much anything, like salads, wraps etc, but we particularly like it on toast under a perfectly poached freshly-laid egg.   Find a dry rose or a wheat beer (we’re talking lunch not breakfast!), or one suggestion for a non-alcoholic drink to pair with halloumi is pineapple juice – we haven’t tried that yet, but we’re going to!

Region: Auckland. Type of milk: cow.

VERY OLD EDAM – FROM MAHOE CHEESE

Like an aged Edam should be, this is a little salty, a little nutty, and quite mild.  If you can be patient, this goes perfectly with Christmas cherries, as it does with a dark beer, a pinot noir, or a cherry juice.

Region: Northland. Type of milk: cow.